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Census of the Children of Israel Ordered

Text: Numbers 1
13 April 2015

CENSUS OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL ORDERED

1. Ordered by the Lord   (Numbers 1:2)

2. When?

a) 1st day
b) 2nd month
c) 2nd year after departing from Egypt   (Numbers 1:2)

3. Who?

a) Males
b) Twenty years and above   (Numbers 1:2-4)
c) Focus: These were able to defend the nation (“able to go to war”)   (Numbers 1:20)

4. Census Committee

a) Leaders of the tribes
b) Names given   (Numbers 1:5-16)
c) To ensure full participation and support from all the tribes

5. Records kept

a) Reuben
46, 500   (Numbers 1:20-21)
b) Simeon
59,300   (Numbers 1:22-23)
c) Gad
45,650   (Numbers 1:24-25)
d) Judah
74,600   (Numbers 1:2627)
e) Issachar
54,400   (Numbers 1:28-29)
f) Zebulun
57,400   (Numbers 1:30-31)
g) Ephraim
40,500   (Numbers 1:32-33)
h) Manasseh
32,200   (Numbers 1:34-35)
i) Benjamin
35,400   (Numbers 1:36-37)
j) Dan
62,700   (Numbers 1:38-39)
k) Asher
41,500   (Numbers 1:40-41)
l) Naphthali
53,400   (Numbers 1:42-43)
Total: 603,550   (Numbers 1:44-46)

LEVITES

1. Not numbered   (Numbers 1:47)

2. Special word from the Lord   (Numbers 1:48-49)

3. Their appointment

a) To look after the Tabernacle of the Testimony   (Numbers 1:50)
b) To look after the furnishings   (Numbers 1:50)
c) They are to attend to the Tabernacle ministry   (Numbers 1:51)

DIVINE ORDER OBEYED

1. The Levites are to pitch their tents around the Tabernacle   (Numbers 1:51)

2. All the other tribes are to pitch their tents in their respective places   (Numbers 1:52)

THE TRIBES OF ISRAEL

(Numbers 2)

North

Dan

Asher

Naphthali

157,600

South

Reuben

Simeon

Gad

151,450

East

Judah

Issachar

Zebulun

186,400

West

Ephraim

Manasseh

Benjamin

108,100